without doubt (without hesitation)
by manic pixie nightmare girl
Summary: These are the moments where they know they're loved:: drabble collection:: 1. Remus and Tonks have a moment of normalcy 2. Sirius will always worry about Marlene.
1. RemusTonks

It was moments like this that Remus felt like maybe they were almost normal. Maybe they could pretend. Even with the war going on, they could somehow, miraculously play house and be in love.

Tonks was in the kitchen, purple hair wild as she sang a song Remus wasn't familiar with. She turned around, dancing awkwardly and managing to spin with surprising grace in her turquoise heels. When she came to a stop, her eyes rested on him, and an amused grin played at her lips. "I thought you would be later," she chuckled, cheeks blushing a soft red. Her delicate hand dropped to her swollen, pregnant belly. "I was just…"

"Having a party," Remus said, returning her grin.

Lips pursing together, she folded her arms over her chest in a ridiculous pout. It took every ounce of energy for Remus to not laugh. "A party," she said, nodding. "You're not invited."

Now, he couldn't help but laugh. It was honestly so silly. The world was falling apart as the war raged on. People they knew and loved were dying or disappearing. There was no guarantee that they would make it out of this alive.

And yet, here they were. The kitchen was like their sanctuary, some safe haven where the darkness could not reach them. Here, Tonks could be as wild and crazy as she wanted to be. Here, Remus didn't have to worry that maybe, just maybe, he was going to lose everything. Somehow, everything was okay, and be could allow himself to relax.

"What?"

Remus shook his head, realizing he had zoned out. He cleared his throat, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Nothing." He moved closer, gently resting his hand on her shoulder. "Just thinking about how much I love you."

She leaned in, lips maddeningly close to his. It would be the easiest thing in the world to just kiss her…

But she pulled away, beaming as she continued dancing, her singing reduced to humming. "Still not invited to my party," she told him, hips swaying as she focused on the pasta cooking on the stove.

* * *

**Magic Kingdom, Main Street, Crystal Arts: purple **

**Book Club, Eva: turquoise, heels, singing **

**Showtime, You Love Who You Love: romance **

**Amber's Attic: dancing **

**Lo's Lowdown: red**

**Bex's Basement: "You're not invited."**

**Word Count: 351**


	2. SiriusMarlene

**Word Count: 525**

* * *

Sirius wasn't sure how Marlene managed it. Somehow, she could take the most outrageous outfit and make it look elegant. Like now. The lime green dress had purple ruffles around the collar and should make her look ridiculous. Instead, Marlene looked absolutely stunning.

"I really wish you didn't have to go," Sirius said, adjusting the knot in his tie. "Maybe Dumbledore will have something else for you to do."

Her eyes narrowed in clear disagreement. Sirius knew he shouldn't be surprised. Marlene was not the type to sit on the bench while others got their hands dirty; it would make his life so much easier if she was. He hated feeling so protective. It made him vulnerable and helpless, but he couldn't stop worrying about her. She meant the world to him, and he wanted to keep her safe.

She reached out, gently prodding her slender finger against his chest. "Tough luck." Her painted lips quirked into a smirk. "I'm your date, remember."

He wanted to point out that he didn't actually ask her to be his date. It was all part of the plan to get into the Ministry ball and find insiders leaking information to the Death Eaters. He would be much happier knowing she was safe at home, but Dumbledore decided they needed every Order member they could get. Unfortunately, he couldn't argue with Dumbledore.

"I worry about you. I really do try not to." He exhaled heavily, hanging his head. His cheeks heated with a painful blush. Being vulnerable around others was the worst. "I'm sorry, but I'm not that strong."

Marlene moved closer, wrapping an arm around him and resting her head against his chest. "But that's a perfectly sensible thing, being scared," she assured him. "It means you're keeping your wits about you."

He laughed, his blush deepening. "I'm not scared."

But that wasn't quite true. How many nights were plagued with nightmares? How often did he stay up all night, stomach knotted with panic, hoping his girlfriend would come back from her mission? Fear felt shameful, but it seemed to be a permanent part of his life since falling in love with Marlene. The thought of dying wasn't scary. Losing her? It kept him afraid, and it didn't feel like a perfectly sensible thing, regardless of what Marlene said.

"You're supposed to hold on to the ones who care," he says. "The ones you care about. You can't blame me for worrying."

"I don't." She brushed her hand through his shaggy hair, combing stray strands behind his ear. "I know why you worry. But it's okay. I knew what I was getting into when I joined. Besides, do you think you could handle me being miserable and watching you do all the fun stuff?"

"No."

She smiled, standing on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Then accept the fact that we're partners in every sense of the word."

"Fine."

It wasn't a magical cure. His fear and worry didn't suddenly ease up. Sirius suspected he would always worry about her, but maybe it was okay. If she was happy, that would have to be enough.


	3. OliverKatie

It felt strange to be in Dorset. Although it was similar enough to her hometown, it was still a new place, and Katie was adjusting. She reminded herself that it wasn't permanent, that it was just a visit. Besides, at least they had amazing doughnuts.

She stepped onto the Quidditch pitch, biting into a Bavarian cream filled doughnut. Her eyes widened as she took it all in. Though she's seen her fair share of pitches, the one at Hogwarts was her most memorable, and this one put that one to shame. Before she could take any of it in, she heard annoyed swearing overhead and glanced up.

Oliver was on his broom, dutifully guarding the goal post as a charmed Quaffle soared dangerously close to his head. Katie chuckled. "I think you might be losing your touch," she called up, teasing smile on her lips.

Oliver let out a groan so loud that she could hear it from the ground. He reached out, gripping the charmed Quaffle and securing it under his arm before flying to the ground. "I'm trying to train so I can move beyond being a reserve," he told her, pouting slightly. "And here you are, teasing me with doughnuts. I have to focus, Katie."

She laughed. "To be fair, I never offered you a doughnut."

Without waiting for an invitation, he snatched one from the open box, looking triumphant. "Doesn't matter. You're sharing now."

"Rude."

Oliver smirked. "You know you love me."

"How's training going?" she asked.

He was supposed to meet her at her hotel that morning. She suspected his absence could be explained by his training. Six hours of practicing was hardly surprising where Oliver was concerned.

"You've got to fight for every dream," he told her, and she was more than a little sure he once used that in a pre-match pep talk. "Unfortunately, this dream feels like it takes a war."

Katie set the doughnuts on the ground and moved forward, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. "You'll be a starting Keeper before you know it," she said. "Give a few months, and you'll be the next Quidditch legend. Kids will have your posters on their walls."

He pressed a chaste kiss to the top of her head and held her closer. "Why do you believe in me so much?"

She tilted her head back, lips grazing his chin. "Because you're amazing, and I know the world will see it one day."

She didn't care about becoming the girlfriend of a famous athlete. A life of luxury and grandeur was not her style. All Katie cared about was knowing Oliver was happy. Everything else was secondary.


	4. JamesRegulus

Finding Regulus was easy enough. Somehow, the Slytherin boy always managed to find an empty compartment on the train. James always wondered how he managed that, but he pushed the question from his mind. For now, he had more important matters to tend to.

"Any particular reason you're here, Potter?" Regulus asked, peering up through his black hair, a smirk on his lips. "Shouldn't you be surrounded by your stupid partners in crime?"

James snorted, eyes rolling as he adjusted his glasses. "You know we're alone, right?" He sat beside the younger boy, grinning. "We don't have to pretend."

Regulus relaxed, but only slightly. "Good. Will you marry me?"

"No."

The Slytherin shrugged. "Shall we be enemies, then?"

James shook his head. It was complicated to love Regulus. The House rivalry was too great, and they so often found themselves stuck in an endless cycle of being cruel to one another, only to overcompensate by being a little too nice later. There never seemed to be any balance between it. Some days, James wondered why he bothered at all. It felt like a chore, a headache.

Regulus' grey eyes sparkled as he leaned in. The upward curl of his lips was beautiful; James thought he would never get over how perfect Regulus was when he smiled. "Why so serious?" he asked, fingertips ghosting over James' cheek. "I don't actually want to marry you."

"Good."

It wasn't love. James cared for him deeply and with a wild passion that he couldn't explain, but he knew it wasn't love. Even if everything about them wasn't taboo, he knew they would never have a chance for a future together. It was nice to dream and play pretend, but it just wasn't in their stars.

Still, that didn't stop him. Again and again, he found himself running back to Regulus. It was almost like an addiction.

"You haven't seen me all summer," Regilus pointed out. "Are you just going to stare at me, or are you going to do something?"

And so he did. Their lips met, and James held him close, whispering sweet little nothings into his mouth.

It wasn't love. It was little more than infatuation.

But it still got him by.


	5. BillFleur

Words didn't come easily. Bill stood there, staring at her, his eyes silently urging her to take his advice. In the end, she knew he was technically right. This wasn't her war. She could return to France and leave it all behind, even if that meant turning her back on her husband and newly found family.

She'd seen the horrors of the war, and they made it so tempting. What did she have to gain from fighting? She knew everyone expected her to run. Even though they had finally grown to accept her, she knew they still saw her as weak, little more than a pretty face and a massive liability. It would be much smarter to leave them behind and let them fight this without her.

"Fleur?" Bill tugged anxiously at the sleeve of his green shirt. "Darling, I think this is for the best."

She was well aware that she, along with everyone else, was in danger. This was war, and war meant nothing was promised. Would it be best to walk away? Most likely.

And yet she felt like she couldn't.

She shook her head, silvery-blonde hair thumping against her cheeks. "I do not believe I should be running," she told him.

"It isn't running. It's–"

"It doesn't matter now," she said, her voice strong even though she was trembling inside.

She was afraid. Only a fool would say they weren't scared.

She reached out, grazing her fingers over the yellow flowers in the vase on the kitchen table. This was her life now. Bill was her husband, and they had a beautiful home together. This war would destroy everything and leave those who opposed the so-called Dark Lord with nothing.

She couldn't allow that. It wasn't even about herself anymore. Over the past few years, she had come to accept Bill's family as her own, even though they had been slower to accept her. What sort of monster would leave their family behind to fend for themselves?

With a smile on her lips, she wrapped her arms around her husband, pressing a kiss to his lips. "I'm staying," she said. "We fight together."

He held her close, kissing her forehead. "Together."

Somehow, they would make it through.


	6. OrionWalburga

"You shouldn't be awake."

Walburga did not turn when she heard her husband's voice. Her grey eyes remained fixed upon the window, watching the rapidly lightening sky.

"It's dawn," Orion added, as though she wasn't perfectly capable of seeing that for herself.

Having him so close hurt her. She could have been happy once. Years ago, when she was young and foolish enough to believe in love, she and Caius Parkinson had dreamt of running away and starting a life together. In the end, she sacrificed her own happiness for the sake of her family.

And it was hell. She knew she could learn to love Orion, but he didn't seem to want to give her a chance. Her husband spent his days keeping his distance. Walburga hated it. Sh wished for nothing more than his touch, to know he did want her.

"Walburga?"

She hesitated before turning, dark brows raised. "Yes, cousin?" she asked, savoring the way his expression fell.

"Have I done something wrong?"

She almost laughed at that. How many times did she try desperately to make him love her? How many times was she rejected unless he wanted to attempt to produce heirs? It didn't matter how sweetly he lied; he saw her as little more than a whore sporting a wedding ring.

"Don't make me waste my time on you," she said, hating the quiver in her voice that betrayed her emotions. When did she become some pathetic, touch-starved puppy that craved even the smallest sliver of affection? "I know that I was not your first choice for a wife. We should set these silly little domestic chats aside and resume our original arrangement."

The growl that bubbled in his throat caught her off guard. It almost sounded like passion, like her words struck a nerve. Orion moved closer, resting his hands on her shoulders. "You were raised by the same family as me," he reminded her. "Don't act as though you are an expert at expressing your emotions. I've tried too, Wally."

She swallowed. This was the closest they've been since her last fertility cycle. The closeness made her shiver. "All I want is you to love me."

His lips met hers, and she could taste the confirmation on his tongue. "I do," he whispered. "I love you in the only way I know how."


	7. BlaiseDaphne

**For Hogwarts, First Aid, task 2, ice: Write about relief **

**Word Count: 728**

* * *

Blaise couldn't stop looking at the clock. The battle was finally over, and survivors were pouring into the tense and all-too-awake little village of Hogsmeade. Still no sign of Daphne. He tried to tell himself that no news was good news, that someone would let him know if she was counted among the dead, but positive thinking offered him little comfort.

Beside him, Theo bounced his long, thin legs. His nervous energy only seemed to fuel Blaise's fear. "It's going to be okay," Theo told him, pushing a hand through his sandy-blond hair, thin lips quirking into a small smile. "She's tough."

She was tough, tougher than anyone that Blaise knew. While the rest of their House opted to lay low and wait it out, Daphne defied her Slytherin nature; she returned to the castle to fight.

His dark eyes flickered to the clock again. The minute hand barely moved, though it felt like an eternity since he last looked. Blaise took a deep breath, hating the way he trembled when he inhaled.

Theo rested a hand on Blaise's shoulder. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, but it made Blaise want to come out of his skin. He pulled away, shaking his head. "Don't touch me." Guilt immediately twisted his insides. He softened and added, "Please. I'm just…"

"Stressed?" his best friend supplied helpfully.

Blaise nodded mutely. _Stressed_ felt like the understatement of the century. He liked to consider himself well-read, but even he couldn't think of a word that fully and properly expressed how he felt. All he could do was sigh heavily and signal for another drink.

"I hope you plan on treating me too."

Only when Blaise heard that voice did he feel the first flicker of relief. He couldn't bring himself to look up right away, so afraid that he might have imagined it. But when he did, he felt so light and free as relief flooded his body.

Daphne was there. Her pale skin was marbled with purple and blue bruises and streaked with angry red scrapes and scratches. Her dark hair and robes were littered with dust and debris. Though she smiled at him and did her best to look bright and cheerful, he could see the pain and exhaustion in her emerald eyes.

"You're not dead," Theo said bluntly, lips stretching into a wide grin.

Daphne snorted. "Not dead,' she confirmed, shrugging. "Eternal peace is probably overrated."

Theo nodded. After a long, tense stretch of silence, he cleared his throat and climbed to his feet. "Right. I'm just going to… er…" He offered them a mock salute before disappearing into the heart of the crowded pub.

Blaise lifted the glass of butterbeer. "I think you need this more than I do."

Her smile made his heart flutter. "You're awesome!" she said, now occupying the stool Theo abandoned moments before.

He signaled for another drink. Silence fell between them as he waited, but it wasn't awkward or strained. That's what he liked most about Daphne. Even their silences are comfortable and easy.

She set her drink down. The foam from the butterbeer left a golden moustache over her lip, which she quickly licked away. "I told you I was coming back," she said, smiling as she broke the silence.

Blaise nodded. Saying goodbye before the battle was painful, and he didn't want to think about it now. The war was over, Daphne was back, and all he wanted to do was celebrate life. Instead, he he kicked his feet lightly against the stool's legs. "That wasn't the best time to promise that. Not during a war."

It didn't take long before the battle ended for news of some of the casualties to pour in. Professor Lupin and his wife, the annoying Gryffindor with the camera… He wondered how many of them made promises to return. Daphne could have just as easily shared their fate.

She moved closer, resting her head against his shoulder. Blaise closed his eyes. So much could have happened, but it didn't. Though he still wanted to stress and fret, he ignored it as he accepted his fresh butterbeer. There would be time to talk about that later.

"I'm glad you made it," he said leaning closer and kissing her lips gently.

She smiled. "Me too."

For now, this moment with his girlfriend was all that mattered.


	8. JamesNarcissa

The diamond was lovely. Narcissa held out her hand, extending her slender fingers as she showed off the rock attached to the silver band. _See how it sparkles? See how perfect it is? My life is supposed to be like that, isn't it?_

She didn't know why everything felt so false. This was supposed to be the happiest moment of her life. Even if marriage meant nothing in the grand scheme of things, it was still her duty, and she was so damn lucky to have Lucius Malfoy as a suitor.

But she didn't feel lucky. The diamond on her finger suddenly felt so heavy, and the band felt more like a shackle, holding her in place against her will.

"You're so lucky," Adelina Bulstrode said, covering her mouth as she giggled. "A _Malfoy._"

Narcissa nodded because it was expected of her. She had to be a good girl, had to play her role. If she let her mask slip for even a second, it would all be over for her.

There had to be a way out. She could find a way to escape the expectations that forced her to stay. One way or another, she would taste freedom.

**x**

"You're married," James said firmly.

"I'm not," Narcissa said. "Not yet. Not ever, if you really love me."

The words came out harsher than she intended, as shown by the clear pain that flashed over his face. Narcissa couldn't bring herself to regret it, but she did mutter a quick apology.

"I don't want to marry him, James," she said, taking his hands and squeezing them gently, hoping it's enough to make him understand how she feels right now. "Please don't make me."

"What are you suggesting?" he asked. "Are we supposed to just drop everything and run away together?"

"Yes! Why not? Aren't you the one who loves adventure?"

He hesitated. After several painfully long seconds, he sighed. "This is what you want? Because if you want to love me, it's all or nothing, and no turning back."

"No turning back," she agreed, sliding the ring from her finger and dropping it to the ground.


	9. ParvatiaLavender

Lavender sat upright, sucking in shaky, ragged breaths. It was just a bad dream, a nightmare, but it felt so real. Even back in the waking world, Lavender could feel Greenback's teeth tearing into her skin, ripping her apart. She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. Sometimes she felt like she was literally trying to hold herself together. Maybe she was. Merlin knows she was falling apart.

Parvati stirred beside her. That was the worst part sometimes. It was all fine and well for Lavender to be haunted by the war and plagued by nightmares. Why did her girlfriend have to be disturbed too?

It was amazing that Parvati was still with her at all. Lavender was cracked glass. One wrong move, and she would shatter into a million pieces, never to be put back together. The breaking point was elusive, but she knew it was only a matter of time.

Parvati deserved someone whole, someone who wasn't a disaster waiting to happen. It wasn't fair; Lavender only wanted her to be happy. How could this make her happy?

And yet Parvati stayed. Night after night, Parvati lied in bed beside her, their fingers intertwined as they talked about their days. Night after night, their words built a fortress around them that made it seem like maybe they could learn how to be invincible, maybe they could hide away.

Lavender wondered what her life would be like without Parvati. Nothing good, she imagined. Parvati was her light in this dark world, her reminder that it was all in the past and nightmares could not hurt her anymore.

It wasn't easy. There were still days where she woke up in pieces, but Parvati was kind and patient, and she was there to make it better.

Lavender studied her girlfriend. Milky moonlight spilled in through the window, bathing Parvati in an angelic glow. It was so fitting, really. Parvati was her angel, her light, and her salvation.

With that, Lavender curled up beside her girlfriend, listening in silence to the steady beat of Parvati's heart. It was like the sweetest lullaby, and Lavender slowly drifted back to sleep.


End file.
